Sardinia travel guide

An insider's guide to Sardinia, featuring the island's best hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, attractions and things to do, including how to travel there and around. By Rob Andrews, Telegraph Travel's Sardinia expert. Click on the tabs below for the best places to stay, eat, drink and shop, including the best things to do and what to do on a short break.

Robert Andrews is a specialist of southern Italy, chiefly the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. He has written guides on the region, as well as articles and reviews. He also writes on England's West Country.

Why go?

Because you’re looking for a brilliant Italian break without the noise and stress of the mainland. And because Sardinia has some of the Mediterranean’s most seductive beaches, yet within tootling distance of some great restaurants, agreeable bars and the soothing evening ritual of the passeggiata.

Mention Sardinia and most people think of the glitz of the Costa Smeralda and dodgy dealings in Berlusconi’s villas, but there’s plenty more. The Costa Smeralda itself is a tiny strip of coast studded with elite hotels, five-star beaches and Beverly Hills-type shops, but if swish ain’t your thing you’ll also find acres of swimming spots to die for on every coast, but without the superstar pretensions.

When you’ve had your fill of those, there’s plenty more to divert you: the magnificent rugged landscape of the granite interior, the fabulous seafood and, for history buffs, the strange and evocative remnants of Sardinia’s ancient nuraghic culture, not to mention a scattering of Carthaginian and Roman ruins, Pisan churches and Spanish Baroque.

There’s one golden rule: avoid August. That’s when the whole of Italy with mothers and kitchen sinks in tow storms the island.

When to go

There’s one golden rule: avoid August. That’s when the whole of Italy with mothers and kitchen sinks in tow storms the island, flooding the beaches and booking up all available accommodation. Prices go up too, and it can be excruciatingly hot. Just about any other time is fine, with May/June seeing the island at its best, with the clearest skies. The depths of winter can see resorts looking a little drab and forlorn, though, and some places are closed until Easter.

Currency: EuroTelephone code: Dial 00 39 when calling Italy from abroad, and always use the full area code wherever you call from (070, 0789, etc)Time difference: +1 hourFlight time: From UK airports to Sardinia is two to three hours.

By all means explore the fabled Costa Smeralda, resort of choice for the elite, but check out Sardinia’s less trammelled interior too, for traditional villages, grand mountainscapes and lower prices – you’ll need a car, though.

Sardinia is within tootling distance of some great restaurants, agreeable bars and the soothing evening ritual of the passeggiata.

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Local laws and etiquette

Note that the law requires drivers to carry personal ID, licence and car documents while on the road, and all cars must have a warning triangle and reflective jacket on board. Speed-radar detectors are banned.